New Genetic Insight Offers Strategy for Longer-Lasting Tomatoes

ddRAD sequencing-based genotyping for population structure analysis in cultivated tomato provides new insights into the genomic diversity of Mediterranean ‘da serbo’ type long shelf-life germplasm

Double digest restriction-site associated sequencing (ddRAD-seq) is a flexible and cost-effective strategy for providing in-depth insights into the genetic architecture of germplasm collections. Using this methodology, we investigated the genomic diversity of a panel of 288 diverse tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) accessions enriched in ‘da serbo’ (called ‘de penjar’ in Spain) long shelf life (LSL) materials (152 accessions) mostly originating f…

New Genetic Insight Offers Strategy for Longer-Lasting Tomatoes

Fruit ripening determines shelf life and consumer appeal, yet the molecular switches that control this process remain partially understood. This study identifies a key regulator--histone deacetylase SlHDA7--that acts as a brake on tomato ripening. When SlHDA7 is removed, tomatoes ripen faster and produce more ethylene and carotenoids; when overexpressed, ripening slows and shelf life extends. The research uncovers how SlHDA7 reduces the expressi…

Galápagos tomatoes are evolving in 'reverse'

On some islands of the Galápagos archipelago, wild tomatoes are doing something peculiar. They're shedding millions of years of evolution.

Reverse Evolution Reveals a Hidden Defense in Tomatoes

A rare chemical reversion in Galápagos tomatoes is challenging how we think about bitterness, toxicity and crop resilience. On the rocky western shores of the Galápagos Islands, wild tomatoes are doing something evolutionary theory once considered nearly impossible: they’re going backward. Scientists call it a rare case of “reverse evolution,” but what matters most to the future of agriculture is the chemistry behind the change—and what it could…